da bet7： Well, that was about as perfect a response to last week’s game as Chelsea could have hoped for.

da apostaganha： Enzo Maresca’s side lost the talismanic Cole Palmer in the warm-up and then found themselves one-nil down early on through a Lucas Paqueta wonderstrike, but that didn’t matter.

The West Londoners found themselves level within nine minutes, up 3-1 by halftime and then 5-1 winners at full-time, potentially sealing the fate of their former manager in just the second week of the Premier League season.

There were outstanding performances all across the pitch for the Blues, but two players in particular stood out, including Estêvão.

Estêvão's standout performance

With Palmer pulling out of the game before a ball was kicked, the young Estêvão was given the daunting task of starting his first Premier League game, although from the way he played, you’d have assumed he was a seasoned veteran.

The 18-year-old wonderkid was utterly sensational for the Blues, playing pinpoint perfect passes one minute and then beating a couple of West Ham players on the dribble the next.

The Brazilian dynamo might not have scored a goal on the night, but he was involved in almost everything good about the West Londoners’ play and has surely cemented his place in the side for next week.

It might sound like hyperbole, but we aren’t the only ones who were blown away by the teenager, as the Express’ Fraser Watson gave him an 8/10 match rating at full-time, and Sky Sports awarded him the Man of the Match award.

His statistics from the game more than back up the rave reviews as well.

Estêvão’s game in numbers

Minutes

77′

Expected Goals

0.33

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.61

Assists

1

Touches

41

Key Passes

1

Shots on Target

1

Dribbles (Successful)

3 (2)

Tackles

3

All Stats via Sofascore

In his 77 minutes of action, the former Palmeiras gem produced a combined expected goal and assist figure of 0.94, provided one assist, took 41 touches, played one key pass, created one big chance, took one shot on target, completed two-thirds of his dribbles and made three tackles.

In all, Estêvão’s place in the team is surely secure for next week, which should also be the case for one of his teammates who was just as brilliant.

The Chelsea star who is now completely undroppable

Now, if we are being honest, there were several starters last night who have a valid case for now being practically undroppable.

Performance in Numbers

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Still, for our money, the pick of the bunch, alongside Estêvão, was Joao Pedro.

The Brazilian more than made up for his lacklustre showing against Crystal Palace last week by not only scoring his first Premier League goal for the club, but also picking up not one but two assists.

Like his younger compatriot, the “exceptional” attacker, as dubbed by pundit Troy Deeney, was involved in pretty much everything great about the Blues’ performances last night.

He looked silky on the ball one moment and then powerful the next, leaving the Hammers’ midfield and defence utterly helpless and simply unable to stop him.

Watson was just as impressed with the former Brighton & Hove Albion man, awarding him a 9/10 match rating at full-time, describing his performance as a ‘quality showing.’

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old’s statistics make for some wonderful reading and more than justify the vociferous praise.

Pedro’s game in numbers

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.41

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.11

Assists

2

Touches

38

Key Passes

2

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (1)

Shots on Target

1

Big Chances Created

2

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

8 (6)

Fouls Won

1

Clearances

2

Blocked Shots

1

Tackles

1

All Stats via Sofascore

In his 96 minutes of action, the Ribeirao Preto-born ace produced a combined expected goals and assists figure of 0.52, scored one goal, provided two assists, took 38 touches, played two key passes, completed 100% of his crosses, created two big chances, took one shot on target, won six of eight aerial duels, made two clearances, blocked one shot and made one tackle.

Ultimately, it was a complete performance from Pedro, and one that should now make him completely undroppable, alongside Estêvão.

da premier bet： Tottenham Hotspur are still in the market for new attacking options, and chairman Daniel Levy is under mounting pressure to deliver.

da imperador bet： For the second time in this window alone, Spurs suffered major public humiliation this week by missing out on another star number 10, despite being on the verge of completing a deal.

Earlier in the summer, Morgan Gibbs-White was practically seen as a new Tottenham player when news broke of his pending July medical, only for Nottingham Forest to block the £60 million transfer in never-before-seen fashion.

Evangelos Marinakis not only threatened legal action, with Spurs alleged to have obtained information about Gibbs-White’s ‘confidential’ release clause illegally, but also managed to stall the deal long enough to convince the 25-year-old to sign a new contract instead.

In all fairness, this kind of thing in football almost never happens, and scarcely anyone could’ve predicted it.

However, in Eze’s case, the matter was much more simple – Tottenham were hijacked by their arch north London rivals.

Despite agreeing both personal terms and the finances of a deal with Palace, talks were held long enough for Arsenal to swoop in at the last second and convince their boyhood supporter to join Mikel Arteta’s side instead – with Kai Havertz’s injury pushing them into immediate action.

It is a hammer blow for manager Thomas Frank, amid reports the Dane believes that Tottenham need two number 10s after James Maddison’s ACL rupture.

Last month, Spurs were planning to head into 2025/2026 with a fully fit Maddison and Gibbs-White, but Frank has neither at his disposal.

Eze is now also off the table, meaning Levy must make a serious late transfer statement if he is indeed serious about Tottenham eventually challenging for the Champions League and Premier League title.

Tottenham get green-light to hijack Chelsea deal for Alejandro Garnacho

While his natural position isn’t in the number 10 role, Man United forward Alejandro Garnacho can play there when required.

Spurs are also after a wide player to replace club legend Son Heung-min, and the Argentine would tick both boxes as a versatile attacking gem who bagged a brilliant 11 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last term.

Garnacho’s public fallout with Ruben Amorim has landed him on the for-sale list, with Chelsea reliably believed to be in advancing talks for the 21-year-old after also agreeing personal terms.

According to GiveMeSport, the west Londoners are haggling over price, and to avoid being forced to sanction a cut-price sale with no other suitors bidding, United have given the “green light” for Tottenham to move for Garnacho.

The Red Devils want Spurs to come in for him so they can drive Garnacho’s price up and spark a bidding war, and Frank’s side have already had some contact through intermediaries to gauge the conditions of a deal this window.

This could be one to keep an eye on, as the “real deal” attacker, valued at around £50 million, is one of the Premier League’s brightest young stars and may suit Spurs down to the ground.

da realbet： The closing days of the transfer window have rarely been straightforward on Tyneside. Newcastle United’s summer has already been defined by turbulence, with Alexander Isak refusing to reintegrate with the squad.

da pixbet： Eddie Howe’s side, who finished fifth last season and are preparing for a Champions League campaign, are under pressure to refine their squad while managing the fallout of internal distractions.

So far, the Magpies have done solid business.

The arrivals of Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale, and Anthony Elanga have freshened up the squad with youth and Premier League experience.

Most recently, a £69m deal was struck with Stuttgart for Nick Woltemade, the towering German forward who had been courted by Bayern Munich before Newcastle convinced him to make the switch.

Despite the new additions, the midfield remains an area of particular concern.

Joelinton, one of Howe’s most important lieutenants, limped off in the defeat against Liverpool, raising doubts about their fitness in the weeks to come.

In this context, Newcastle’s recruitment team has set its sights astonishingly high, making enquiries about one of Europe’s most coveted defensive midfielders – a player widely regarded as one of the finest in his position.

Newcastle’s make offer for midfield sensation

According to reports from Spain, Newcastle recently lodged a bid with Real Madrid for France international Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The 25-year-old has long been considered a cornerstone of the Spanish giants’ midfield, and sources suggest Los Blancos wasted no time in rejecting the approach.

Madrid are understood to have already rebuffed a €100m (£90m) bid, setting a firm valuation of over €200m (£185m) to ward off interest.

Club officials, and new manager Xabi Alonso, view Tchouaméni as untouchable.

Having been heavily criticised last season, the Frenchman displayed resilience and tactical maturity, winning back the trust of both teammates and supporters.

He has since emerged as a key figure in Real’s long-term project, combining physicality with intelligence and composure under pressure.

Writer Raj Chohan, speaking on the player’s profile, described him as “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet.”

For Newcastle, the enquiry was little more than exploratory.

The PIF-backed ownership has demonstrated its willingness to pursue ambitious targets, but the reality is that Real Madrid are unwilling to negotiate at this stage of the window.

Still, the move itself reflects Newcastle’s intent to match their lofty ambitions with equally elite personnel, even if such pursuits appear beyond reach in the short term.

Comparing Tchouaméni and Guimarães

The comparison with Bruno Guimarães is inevitable.

The Newcastle captain has been central to the Magpies’ transformation since his arrival, but many observers might suggest that Tchouaméni represents an even higher ceiling in the defensive midfield role.

Both are internationals – Bruno with 35 caps for Brazil and Tchouaméni with 41 appearances for France, including a starring role at the 2022 World Cup – yet their profiles and statistical outputs highlight differing strengths.

In possession, Bruno offers greater attacking thrust.

Bruno Guimarães – 2024/25

Matches Played

38

Goals

5

Assists

6

Progressive Carries

74

Progressive Passes

271

Source: FBref

According to FBref, last season he averaged 1.24 shots per 90, with 0.36 on target, and produced 3.66 shot-creating actions per 90.

His progressive passing numbers were also outstanding, with 7.47 progressive passes per 90 and 216.5 progressive passing distance.

These metrics reveal a player comfortable dictating tempo while also pushing Newcastle forward in transition.

Tchouaméni, by contrast, leans more toward control and precision.

According to FBref, he attempted and completed far more passes overall, averaging 62.5 completed passes per 90 at a staggering 92.3% success rate, compared to Bruno’s 40.8 at 82.3%.

His ability to recycle possession without error is invaluable in a side like Madrid, where maintaining rhythm is paramount.

The Frenchman also excels at advancing the ball over distance, with 357.7 progressive passing distance per 90, underscoring his ability to bypass opposition lines.

Defensively, both players bring tenacity, but in distinct ways.

Bruno averaged 2.29 tackles per 90, highlighting his willingness to press and break up play higher up the pitch.

Tchouaméni, however, demonstrated more balance, contributing 1.57 tackles per 90 alongside 1.14 blocks, while also being one of the top midfielders in Europe for aerial duels.

At 1.88m, his physical presence makes him an imposing shield in front of the back line – a trait Newcastle arguably lack when Bruno is deployed as the deepest midfielder.

The statistics paint a clear picture: Bruno is more adventurous, combining flair and playmaking with defensive graft, while Tchouaméni epitomises composure, efficiency, and tactical balance.

Both are invaluable, but in different contexts. For Real Madrid, the Frenchman’s precision and resilience make him untouchable.

For Newcastle, Bruno remains indispensable as captain, though the speculation reflects a desire to add depth and variation at the base of midfield.

Ultimately, Newcastle’s enquiry may have been quickly dismissed, but it speaks volumes about the club’s ambition.

With a Champions League campaign looming and pressure mounting domestically, the Magpies are aiming for world-class reinforcements to complement their growing project.

While a move for Tchouaméni is off the table for now, the intent shown is unlikely to go unnoticed – both in Europe’s elite boardrooms and among supporters eager to see Newcastle compete at the highest level.

da dobrowin： Barring some late jeopardy, Liverpool look to have signed their top summer target, Alexander Isak, from Newcastle United, having agreed a record-breaking £130m deal with the Tynesiders.

da lvbet： The Sweden star, who scored 27 goals for the Magpies last season as they won the Carabao Cup, is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and adds so much potential to a Liverpool side already feared by all.

FSG have got the big one over the line, but they remain intent on signing another top Premier League talent at the other end of the field.

Liverpool looking to sign Premier League star

Crystal Palace are locked in a last-gasp bid to sign Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio, thus strengthening and opening the door for Marc Guehi to sign for Arne Slot’s champions.

However, Oliver Glasner has made it clear that he wants the Three Lions star to stay at Selhurst Park, especially after Guehi’s spectacular goal in a 3-0 romp over Aston Villa on Sunday evening.

And if the Austrian tactician gets his wish, Liverpool might need to shift their focus, perhaps moving for another summer target in Nathan Collins, having entered the race for the Irish centre-half at the start of August.

Despite the late hour of the window, Liverpool could strike a shrewd deal in bringing the 24-year-old over, especially since he has proven himself dependable on the pitch and reliable on the fitness front.

What Collins would bring to Liverpool

Brentford signed Collins from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £23m in July 2023, and he has since proved his technical quality and ability to command from the rearguard, hailed by journalist Sam Tabuteau for being a “future leader”.

Collins might not be the flashiest or most exciting name that Liverpool have been linked with this summer, but there’s little question that he has what it takes to star for Slot’s side, challenging Ibrahima Konate for a place alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk.

Indeed, he’s deceptively progressive on the ball, athletic and mobile too. But more importantly, Collins is crisp and commanding in the duel, also keeping his error count on the low.

In many ways, he is like Van Dijk himself, with that comparison having been made in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who noted that he is a “complete & dominant” defender.

PL 24/25 – Guehi vs Collins

Stats (* per game)

Guehi

Collins

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

38 (38)

Goals

3

2

Assists

2

3

Touches*

64.9

65.7

Pass completion

84%

86%

Big chances

5

3

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Ball recoveries*

4.3

4.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

2.0

Clearances*

4.6

5.8

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

5.1 (61%)

Errors made

2

3

Data via Sofascore

It perhaps helps that Collins shares some of Guehi’s ball-playing ability, ranking among the top 8% of positional peers across the past 365 days for goal-creating actions per 90.

Given that Liverpool have already signed a prodigious youngster in Giovanni Leoni this summer, this could be the ideal, shrewd signing to dynamise and complete backline, evening out the squad’s balance, so to speak.

Collins was also the only outfield player to have featured across every minute of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, further underscoring his capacity to stand strong against the current and succeed in the role touted for Guehi down Anfield Road.

da brwin： It was officially confirmed last week that Daniel Levy would be stepping down from his position as Tottenham Hotspur’s chairman, and it was met with mixed reactions.

da heads bet： Some wanted to point to the fact that Spurs were the most profitable ‘big six’ team in the Premier League during his tenure, which spanned over 24 years from March 2001 to the start of this month.

You only have to rewind a few months to the Europa League trophy that Spurs won, ending their 17-year wait for a major trophy, to find one of the highlights of Levy’s time as chairman.

Daniel Levy's expensive Spurs blunders

However, some supporters may point to some of his transfer business over the years as being less-than-impressive, perhaps contributing to the 17-year wait for a trophy.

Levy was not really different to any other chairman, owner, or sports director, in the sense that he made good and bad signings throughout his time at the club.

For example, he sanctioned a potential club-record level deal for Dominic Solanke last summer, signing the English striker in a move worth up to £65m. The 27-year-old marksman scored just nine goals from 10.97 xG in 27 appearances in the Premier League for Spurs last season, per Sofascore.

Solanke is, therefore, yet to show that he is worth a club-record fee for Tottenham, given his lack of quality in front of goal so far, but he is not the only Levy signing who falls into that category.

Richarlison was signed from Everton in the summer of 2022 in a deal that was worth up to £60m, and he has yet to live up to that price tag for the club.

How much Richarlison's market value has plummeted at Spurs

Levy made one of his biggest errors as the club’s chairman when he sanctioned that mammoth transfer for the Brazil international, because the striker’s market value has plummeted in the last three years.

Richarlison, who was once described as a “goalmouth monster” by Ange Postecoglou, has been a frustrating figure in North London, as he has produced moments of quality, like the bicycle kick goal against Burnley this season.

However, those moments have been too few and far between, as the £60m signing has only scored 22 goals in 94 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The former Everton and Watford marksman scored one goal in his first Premier League season with the club and four in the 2024/25 campaign, with 11 goals in his second term, which illustrates his inconsistency in front of goal.

Date

Market value/transfer fee

July 2022

£60m move to Spurs

December 2022

£48m

June 2023

£42m

September 2023

£35m

December 2023

£30m

May 2024

£33m

December 2024

£26m

March 2025

£22m

May 2025 – present

£17m

Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Richarlison’s market value has been heavily impacted by his inconsistency on the pitch, as his value has dropped by a staggering £43m from £60m to £17m at the time of writing.

The Brazilian attacker could point to injuries, as he has missed 58 games through injury in the last three seasons, but the return of one goal in 27 Premier League games in his first year at the club was simply not good enough.

Spurs should expect more from Richarlison for the money Levy shelled out to bring him to the club, which is why he should currently be considered one of the ex-chairman’s biggest blunders.

As it stands, the £60m deal that was put together to sign the Brazil international from Everton looks to have been a huge overpay by Levy, given that he is currently valued at just £17m.

da bwin： After an unprecedented summer of spending, the pressure is really on for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

da bet esporte： On deadline day, the Gunners completed the signing of Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen, the Ecuadorian arriving in North London on a season-long loan but with a £45m obligation to buy.

He becomes the Gunners’ eighth new recruit of the summer, following Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Kepa Arrizabalaga and, most excitingly of all, Eberechi Eze.

Around £300m has been spent on these new recruits, while very little was recouped by the departures of Nuno Tavares, Marquinhos, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Fábio Vieira and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Despite the big money spent, this is a squad built around a foundation of Hale End graduates, namely Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka, 15 year old wonderkid Max Dowman and, of course, the returning Eze.

However, did they let the best Hale End kid leave when he was just nine years old, one that surely would’ve fired the Gunners to that illusive Premier League title had he stayed?

What Eberechi Eze will bring to Arsenal

Eze made his Arsenal debut during Sunday’s disappointing defeat at Anfield, introduced in the 70th minute to replace Gabriel Martinelli.

If the Gunners are going to wrestle the Premier League title away from the Reds, they’re going to need to become more creative in the final third, as the table below documents.

Arsenal’s PL stats 2025/26

Statistics

Arsenal

PL rank

Goals

6

3rd

xG

4.4

6th

Shots

37

4th

Shots on target

8

13th

Passes into final third

73

16th

Big chances

4

16th

Touches in attacking third

411

10th

Stats via FBref and SofaScore

Two caveats first and foremost; we’re only three games into this Premier League season, so that offers a very small sample size, but, on the flip side, Arsenal did demolish Leeds 5-0 last weekend, potentially actually skewing their data in a positive sense.

Those aside, it has to be a concern that the Gunners rank 16th for both big chances created and passes into the final third so far this season, rarely threatening at Old Trafford or Anfield in open play.

Thus, Arteta will hope the arrival of Eze will solve their creativity issues, and it was genuinely spine-tingling to be present when he was presented to the crowd last weekend, a completely surreal moment for the player, while the reaction of the supporters was like nothing else the Emirates has ever witnessed; Thierry Henry’s return, also against Leeds, coming closest.

Eze himself has spoken about the fact that, when he was released by Arsenal at the age of 13, he thought his dream was over, but, after spending time at Fulham, Reading, Millwall, Wycombe, QPR and Palace, he’s finally home.

However, there is another former Hale End kid currently plying his trade at the highest level of world football, someone you may have heard of.

Arsenal's biggest academy regret

Famously, Tottenham supporters sing “Harry Kane, he’s one of our own”, which is very much true, there’s no denying that, but that wasn’t always the case.

During the 2001/02 season, when Kane was just eight years old, he spent a year in Arsenal’s academy but was released, with then academy director Liam Brady later admitting that he was deemed “a bit chubby” and not “very athletic”.

Well, he would certainly prove them wrong, joining Tottenham in 2004, starting a 19-year association with Spurs, scoring 280 goals in 435 appearances for their first team, breaking Jimmy Greaves’ all-time goals record by netting against Manchester City a couple of months before his departure.

Then-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou labelled him an irreplaceable “generational” talent, while another former Tottenham manager Antonio Conte simply described him as a “world-class striker”.

Now with Bayern Munich of course, a move to Bavaria has not stopped Kane from continuing his scoring spree against Arsenal, converting a penalty in North London as they dumped Arsenal out of the Champions League back in April 2024.

That was his 15th career goal against Arsenal, only on target against Leicester (20) and Everton (16) with greater frequency.

As one might expect, Kane has started the new season on fire, scoring six goals in four appearances, most notably bagging a hat-trick as die Rekordmeister demolished RB Leipzig 6-0 on the opening Friday night of the season.

This takes his tally to 91 goals in 100 appearances for Bayern, averaging a goal every 91 minutes, which isn’t bad.

As a result, despite the fact he’s now 32 years old, Kane’s estimated transfer value remains £65m, compared to Eze’s which stands at £48m, also higher than the £60m the Gunners paid to secure his signature.

Tottenham supporters were not happy a fortnight ago when Eze did a last-minute U-turn, snubbing them to join their hated North London rivals.

So, could you imagine if, once he’s finished hoovering up multiple Meisterschale in Munich, Kane returned to the club with whom he began his academy career?

That would be the event that would finally break the internet.

da casino： Celtic are back from the international break and find themselves preparing for a tough run of fixtures, including the start of their Europa League campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

da pixbet： The Irishman has spoken in frank fashion about the frustration he faced during the summer transfer window, claiming his side ‘weren’t ready’ for their Champions League playoff match against Kairat Almaty after the Parkhead hierarchy failed to push critical deals over the line.

Nevertheless, the Bhoys brought in ten new players by the end of the market period before Kelechi Iheanacho was released from his Sevilla contract to sign as a free agent.

However, the lack of synergy between the Celtic board and Rodgers has been on show for all to see, and one of his lesser-spotted summer signings has now sent an intriguing social media message that may explain his own situation in a little more detail.

Celtic loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey sends cryptic Instagram message

Taking to Instagram, Celtic summer signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey changed his profile picture on the platform to reflect a message that said ‘Delays teach patience, which prepares you for blessings’ after failing to make a first-team appearance since arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Becoming the Hoops’ eighth addition of the window, the 19-year-old has also been left out of the Bhoys’ Europa League squad by Rodgers alongside Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, causing some to question why he was acquired in the first place.

For now, Lennoxtown product Dane Murray appears to be ahead of Simpson-Pusey in the pecking order and is usually first in line to come off the bench when Rodgers decides to shuffle his backline around.

Regardless, there is a long season ahead for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, and there is every chance that the England youth international could have a part to play as his loan club pursue another domestic treble.

What has Brendan Rodgers said about Jahmai Simpson-Pusey?

Shortly after his arrival in Glasgow was confirmed, Rodgers admitted to the press before his side defeated Aberdeen in August that Simpson-Pusey may be some way off featuring regularly due to his lack of a full-intensity pre-season.

He stated via Sky Sports: “He’s a little bit away in fairness to Jahmai. He’s been training with the small group at Manchester City and isn’t quite up to speed yet. You can see his quality straightaway and it’s just going to take a bit of time in terms of his fitness and the intensity.”

Clearly, Simpson-Pusey is a man with plenty of talent, given he claimed the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award last term and also made six appearances in the first-team under Pep Guardiola.

Now, he faces the challenge of nailing down a regular slot in Celtic’s backline, which may require persistence as the Manchester-born man looks to unseat the likes of Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty over the coming months.

da gbg bet： A “fantastic” former Chelsea manager would be interested in taking over from Graham Potter as West Ham United manager, a leading agent source has revealed.

Speculation over Potter's future continues despite victory over Forest

da wazamba： It would be fair to say West Ham have made a disappointing start to the campaign, and Potter was under intense pressure heading into his side’s trip to Nottingham Forest before the international break.

However, the Hammers came out fighting, picking up a shock 3-0 victory at The City Ground, which should provide the Englishman with a little while longer to put things right.

That said, it will not be easy, given that the Irons have a tough run of fixtures after the international break, taking on Tottenham Hotspur at home, before also facing Crystal Palace at the London Stadium, who are on a 14-game unbeaten run.

As such, the West Ham hierarchy have already identified a number of potential options to replace Potter, with it recently being revealed that Jose Mourinho is one of the leading targets, while contact has been made with Coventry City boss Frank Lampard.

According to a new update from Hammers News, a leading agent source has revealed that Lampard would be interested in taking over from Potter at the London Stadium, should the job become available.

The former West Ham man would back himself to be a success in the role and win over the supporters, who he has always had a difficult relationship with, having left to join Chelsea when he was young.

That said, contrary to other reports, a spokesman has reportedly revealed there is no truth to the rumours that an approach has been made for the Coventry boss at this stage.

Lampard has done a "fantastic job" at Coventry

The former Chelsea boss has had a mixed managerial career up to this point, having been sacked by the Blues after failing to win a trophy, while also being dismissed by Everton, although he did manage to lead the Toffees to Premier League safety.

However, the 47-year-old has managed to impress in the Championship, leading Derby County to Wembley in the 2019 Championship play-off final, before also going on to reach the play-offs with the Sky Blues last season after a remarkable turnaround.

That said, given that the former Hammer has had limited success above the second tier, it would be a very questionable decision for West Ham to bring him in as a replacement for Potter.

Not only that, but Lampard burned his bridges with a lot of fans after moving to Chelsea, so it would be a divisive move from owners who are already under intense scrutiny.

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